Halcyon
by The Readers Muse
Summary: The years had caught up to them.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own "Teen Wolf" or any of its characters, wishful thinking aside.

**Authors Note #1: **This drabble is for onedayyoujustchange, who asked for Bobby/Chris with a Valentine's Day theme. This drabble fits in to the "Regress to my Mean" series. Previous to the last chapter of the original work, but canonically after "Chase down (every silver lining)" in terms of the series.

**Warnings:** mild language, domesticity, old age, Valentine's day, established relationship, illness, cancer mention, they are old coots and it is an adjustment.

**Halcyon**

"I'm getting too old for this shit," Bobby groaned as they slumped tiredly into the house. Crumbling mud and dirt across the mat that led from the garage. Spreading the smell of the forest firmly into the house – obviously not for the first time.

The time on the kitchen stove read 2:24am.

"_We're_ getting to old for this," Chris corrected patiently. Wincing as he reached over and hung up his jacket. Back acting up again. Expression indulgent as Bobby groused as he toed off his boots. Far too lazy to untie them. "I'm just surprised they let you go up with them. I got regulated to the First Aid station. Again."

"Better than the coffee station. Sarah never shuts up. If I have to hear one more story about her grand kids I'm going to go postal," Bobby moaned, shuffling with sock feet into the living room and easing himself down on the couch with a grunt. Salt and pepper hair somehow managing to stand on end even though there wasn't much left to anything with. "Pretty sure they think I'm a good luck charm at this point. Earl kicked up a fuss about it. Said he wouldn't be responsible if I broke a hip. The guy is a dick. Parrish eventually busted him back to HQ because he wouldn't let up about it. I don't know how long I can get away with it though."

And with good reason.

The years had caught up to them.

They didn't talk about it.

But deep down, they knew the end was coming.

It was a feeling that'd spread slowly on them, apparently when they hadn't been looking.

A gradual sort of weakness that made sense when they looked in the mirror.

_They'd gotten old._

It was something of novelty considering all the lifetimes they'd shared.

But still, it didn't come without drawbacks.

"At least you found him before the weather did. How did that go anyway?" Chris asked, puttering over to the kettle to heat up some water for tea. Unbuckling his gun and holster and setting it on the counter. "I heard he's going to make it."

Bobby snorted.

"He will. I could smell it. He was just in shock. I was able to get that rookie, Parrish's new sacrificial lamb – Darren or Deacon or whatever - to check a different grid and went off alone. All I needed was some space to concentrate and bam- the nose led me right to him. I'm going to check on him tomorrow. Kid needs a wake up call and I don't think that was enough to do it. Rock bottom doesn't have to be literal. He literally fell down a god damned ravine. He's lucky he's still breathing."

"Soft," Chris teased, picking up the _Beacon Hill's Search and Rescue Team_ jacket Bobby had abandoned on the floor and putting it on the hook by the door.

Bobby just made a noncommittal sound. Staring at the dark TV screen.

"Are you hungry?" Chris asked, opening the fridge before shaking his head and opening the oven instead. Remembering the dinner that had been cooking when they'd gotten the call hours before. All they'd had time for was to grab their gear and turn off the oven as they went.

"Nah."

Chris' eyebrow rose. Watching the top of Bobby's head for a long moment before the water came a to boil and he busied himself with the cups and tea bags. Slowly making his way out to the living room with the full mugs before settling on the couch beside him.

"What is it? You've been quiet all day," Chris observed, watching Bobby watch the wall. Fingers clenched around the armrest with a ferocity that reminded him of the first time he'd seen Bobby shift. How all the tension had been visible in his fingers, just before they'd turned into claws.

Bobby exhaled, stale decaf on the breath. Throaty and rough, like something ancient sighing.

"Why didn't you tell me the cancer was back?"

Chris was silent for a long moment. Not avoiding the question and not surprised it had come up either. Just thoughtful.

"Because I don't know what I want to do about it yet," Chris answered truthfully.

Bobby was silent, before-

"You fought it before."

He had. They'd caught it early. And he'd beat it into remission. But now it was back. And the x-rays had been damning. The doctor had used large, tired words to explain it. Words like metastasized and palliative care. But he hadn't really been listening. He'd merely stared at the clear band-aid the orderly had put on his arm after his blood sample. How it made the thinness of his skin seem almost translucent. Feeling suddenly far too tired to handle the sterile walls and gentle, probing questions about treatment.

Instead, he'd driven to the wooded park where he and Bobby used to run and sat there with the engine off for over an hour. Thinking through the silence. Watching the ghost of their younger selves laugh and nudge each other as they sweated in the early morning heat and guzzled water.

"I've already lived a lot longer than I thought I would," Chris murmured, as if in leu of an answer. "Being a hunter…you don't usually make it to old age. I accepted that a long time ago. Long before I met you. All this? All these years? They've been a bonus. _The best bonus_."

"That doesn't mean you give up," Bobby pointed out, sharp and not like him. Like every word was an open wound that pained him.

Chris rested his hand on Bobby's thigh. Soft and settling. It was an action meant to sooth. Not an apology, but affirmation. Something Bobby could take comfort from as the man's hand settled on top of his.

"I know."

Bobby was quiet for a long time after that. Only rousing to blink and utter a soft curse. Leaning down to grab his mug of tea as Chris followed suit. Both of them drinking the luke-warm brew easily.

Bobby was about to open his mouth to say something more before Chris stopped him.

"Can we not…can we not talk about this tonight? Just for tonight?"

Bobby smiled small, shaking his head and pointing at the clock with an amused grin.

"It's not night anymore, try morning. Oh…and hey- Happy Valentine's Day, I guess?"

Chris just snorted a laugh.

"What do you want to do to celebrate?" Chris asked, more teasing than anything. Knowing full well that they'd sleep most of the day away if they were lucky. Or at least Bobby would. God knows he couldn't get a couple solid hours to save his life.

Bobby eyed him with a playful look before leaning in and brushing his lips with his.

The kiss wasn't a competition.

It wasn't a fight or even particularly passionate.

It wasn't young.

It was slow, familiar and loving.

Matching the people they'd become.

And like always, it was just right.

Perfection _did _evolve, after all.

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you for reading, please let me know what you think.

**Reference:**

\- Halcyon: a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful.


End file.
